In a new scientific trial in Australia, children will receive cord blood in an attempt to treat cerebral palsy. The trial is the first of its kind and will take place at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

The children will receive cord blood stem cells in an attempt to repair the brain injury that leads to cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is an abnormal brain development that is the most common form of disability in Australian children.

The research is being carried out by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Researchers will use the cord blood of the siblings of children with cerebral palsy as a part of the treatment.

One of the researchers involved, Professor Iona Novak, describes the importance of the study, saying: “Unfortunately we hear of many Australian children with (cerebral palsy) and their families travelling overseas to receive unregulated stem cell treatments at great cost.”

Ms Novak continued: “This study, using cord blood which has been stored under Australian government-regulated conditions, is an important first step towards potentially improving treatment.”

The children will receive cord blood from their siblings in an effort to improve their motor skills. Researchers believe the stem cells from the cord blood will help repair the damaged components of the children’s brains.

Umbilical cord blood is rich in stem cells and is already being used to treat more than 80 different illnesses. Researchers hope to use stem cells from the cord blood to treat many other conditions in the future including blindness, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and breast cancer.

The research is being partially funded by a large private cord blood bank who is interested in developing more treatments using these remarkable cells. Their participation was the only way researchers could access cord blood for this untested therapy, cord blood which is normally reserved for treating blood disorders.

Source: Children to Receive Cord Blood in World’s First Cerebral Palsy Trial